Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust and Musto celebrate 20 years after extending partnership to 2025
by Karenza Morton 21 Feb 2021 11:21 GMT
Musto have been the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust's official supplier since 2003 © Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust
The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust and Musto will celebrate an incredible 20 years of support after agreeing to extend their long-standing partnership to the end of 2025.
Musto have been the official clothing supplier since the Trust was launched in 2003 having kitted out Dame Ellen MacArthur during her history-making round the world sailing career. Through sailing and outdoor activity, the Trust inspires young people aged 8-24 to believe in a brighter future living through and beyond cancer.
Every year Musto supplies young people, volunteers and skippers on the Trust's trips with essential sailing and sun-protective gear, including UPF 50 long-sleeved t-shirts, caps, waterproofs and salopettes, meaning they can focus fully on fun knowing they will be sun safe and dry. Sun protection is especially important as skin cancer is a common secondary cancer in young people who have had treatments such as radiation or chemotherapy.
Dame Ellen said: "Musto are a partner in the truest sense of the word; at every major point in our history Musto have been with us.
"From supporting just five young people on our first trip to an incredible 650 in 2019; to our expansion from sailing to running outdoor activity and canal trips to support a wider range of young people; even to sailing round Britain twice together, Musto have evolved with us.
"To have such an enduring partnership over two decades is incredible and it will be some occasion when we celebrate 20 years in 2023. We cannot thank Musto enough for the difference they have helped to make to so many young lives over the years."
When treatment ends, the Trust's work begins as for many young people, simply picking up from where they left off before their diagnosis just isn't possible. The Trust believes every young person should feel positive, accepted, confident and independent as they start to look towards a future they might never have thought was possible after their diagnosis.
Musto plays a key part in enabling this, with their staff also fundraising for the Trust through things like office bake sales and entering teams in challenge events, while Musto employees have also joined Trust trips to experience first-hand the difference their support makes.
Last Christmas, Musto dedicated their festive campaign to raise money for the Trust. Meanwhile, the competition to design the Musto long-sleeved tee everyone will wear the following season is an annual highlight and a chance for young people to get creative. One of the ways the Trust kept young people involved when COVID prevented trips last year was sending everyone who had been due to come on a trip their Musto tee at home.
Nick Houchin, Head of Marketing at Musto, continued: "Having supported the Trust since 2003 and Dame Ellen in her sailing campaigns previous to this, our relationship is deep-set. We will both continue to use this as a platform to make a genuine difference for young people living through and beyond cancer.
"When the Trust wasn't able to get on the water last year, it was wonderful seeing the pictures and reading the messages the Trust received about the difference getting their tee made to so many young people. We were so pleased to have been able to do that.
"Many colleagues have joined trips and come back completely inspired. The emotional connection we have with the Trust makes it all worthwhile and such a fantastic cause."
For more information about the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust go to www.ellenmacarthurcancertrust.org and for Musto's official clothing site visit www.musto.com